James 3 – NIRV & YCB

New International Reader’s Version

James 3:1-18

Control What You Say

1My brothers and sisters, most of you shouldn’t become teachers. That’s because you know that those of us who teach will be held more accountable. 2All of us get tripped up in many ways. Suppose someone is never wrong in what they say. Then they are perfect. They are able to keep their whole body under control.

3We put a small piece of metal in the mouth of a horse to make it obey us. We can control the whole animal with it. 4And how about ships? They are very big. They are driven along by strong winds. But they are steered by a very small rudder. It makes them go where the captain wants to go. 5In the same way, the tongue is a small part of a person’s body. But it talks big. Think about how a small spark can set a big forest on fire. 6The tongue is also a fire. The tongue is the most evil part of the body. It makes the whole body impure. It sets a person’s whole way of life on fire. And the tongue itself is set on fire by hell.

7People have tamed all kinds of wild animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures. And they still tame them. 8But no one can tame the tongue. It is an evil thing that never rests. It is full of deadly poison.

9With our tongues we praise our Lord and Father. With our tongues we curse people. We do it even though people have been created to be like God. 10Praise and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, it shouldn’t be this way. 11Can fresh water and salt water flow out of the same spring? 12My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree produce olives? Can a grapevine produce figs? Of course not. And a saltwater spring can’t produce fresh water either.

Two Kinds of Wisdom

13Is anyone among you wise and understanding? That person should show it by living a good life. A wise person isn’t proud when they do good deeds. 14But suppose your hearts are jealous and bitter. Suppose you are concerned only about getting ahead. Then don’t brag about it. And don’t say no to the truth. 15Wisdom like this doesn’t come down from heaven. It belongs to the earth. It doesn’t come from the Holy Spirit. It comes from the devil. 16Are you jealous? Are you concerned only about getting ahead? Then your life will be a mess. You will be doing all kinds of evil things.

17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is pure. That’s the most important thing about it. And that’s not all. It also loves peace. It thinks about others. It obeys. It is full of mercy and good fruit. It is fair. It doesn’t pretend to be what it is not. 18Those who make peace plant it like a seed. They will harvest a crop of right living.

Bíbélì Mímọ́ Yorùbá Òde Òn

Jakọbu 3:1-18

Kíkó ahọ́n ní ìjánu

1Ẹ̀yin ará mi, ẹ má ṣe jẹ́ kí púpọ̀ nínú yín jẹ́ olùkọ́, kí ẹ̀yin kí ó mọ̀ pé àwa ni yóò jẹ̀bi jù. 2Nítorí nínú ohun púpọ̀ ni gbogbo wa ń ṣe àṣìṣe. Bí ẹnìkan kò bá ṣì ṣe nínú ọ̀rọ̀, òun náà ni ẹni pípé, òun ni ó sì le kó gbogbo ara ní ìjánu.

3Bí a bá sì fi ìjánu bọ ẹṣin lẹ́nu, kí wọn kí ó le gbọ́ tiwa, gbogbo ara wọn ni àwa sì ń tì kiri pẹ̀lú. 4Kíyèsi i, àwọn ọkọ̀ ojú omi pẹ̀lú, bí wọ́n ti tóbi tó nì, tí a sì ń ti ọwọ́ ẹ̀fúùfù líle gbá kiri, ìtọ́kọ̀ kékeré ni a fi ń darí wọn kiri, síbikíbi tí ó bá wu ẹni tí ó ń tọ́ ọkọ̀. 5Bẹ́ẹ̀ pẹ̀lú ni ahọ́n jẹ́ ẹ̀yà kékeré, ó sì ń fọhùn ohùn ńlá. Wo igi ńlá tí iná kékeré ń sun jóná! 6Iná sì ni ahọ́n, ayé ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ sì ni: ní àárín àwọn ẹ̀yà ara wa, ní ahọ́n ti ń bá gbogbo ara jẹ́, tí yóò sì ti iná bọ ipa ayé wa; ọ̀run àpáàdì a sì tiná bọ òun náà.

7Nítorí olúkúlùkù ẹ̀dá ẹranko, àti ti ẹyẹ, àti ti ejò, àti ti ohun tí ó ń bẹ ní Òkun, ni à ń tù lójú, tí a sì ti tù lójú láti ọwọ́ ẹ̀dá ènìyàn wá. 8Ṣùgbọ́n ahọ́n ni ẹnikẹ́ni kò le tù lójú; ohun búburú aláìgbọ́ràn ni, ó kún fún oró ikú tí í pa ni.

9Òun ni àwa fi ń yin Olúwa àti Baba, òun ni a sì fi ń bú ènìyàn tí a dá ní àwòrán Ọlọ́run. 10Láti ẹnu kan náà ni ìyìn àti èébú ti ń jáde. Ẹ̀yin ará mi, nǹkan wọ̀nyí kò yẹ kí ó rí bẹ́ẹ̀. 11Orísun odò kan a ha máa sun omi dídára àti omi iyọ̀ jáde láti orísun kan náà bí? 12Ẹ̀yin ará mi, igi ọ̀pọ̀tọ́ ha le so èso olifi bí? Tàbí àjàrà ha lè so èso ọ̀pọ̀tọ́? Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni orísun kan kò le sun omíró àti omi tútù.

Oríṣìí ọgbọ́n méjì

13Ta ni ó gbọ́n tí ó sì ní ìmọ̀ nínú yín? Ẹ jẹ́ kí ó fi iṣẹ́ rẹ̀ hàn nípa ìwà rere, nípa ìwà tútù ti ọgbọ́n. 14Ṣùgbọ́n bí ẹ̀yin bá ní owú kíkorò àti ìjà ní ọkàn yín, ẹ má ṣe ṣe féfé, ẹ má sì ṣèké sí òtítọ́. 15Ọgbọ́n yìí kì í ṣe èyí tí ó ti ọ̀dọ̀ Ọlọ́run wá, ṣùgbọ́n ti ayé ni, ti ara ni, ti ẹ̀mí èṣù ni. 16Nítorí níbi tí owú òun ìjà bá gbé wà, níbẹ̀ ni rúdurùdu àti iṣẹ́ búburú gbogbo wà.

17Ṣùgbọ́n ọgbọ́n tí ó ti òkè wá jẹ́ mímọ́ ní àkọ́kọ́, ti àlàáfíà, àti ti ìrẹ̀lẹ̀, kì í sì í ṣòro láti bẹ̀, ó kún fún àánú àti fún èso rere, kì í ṣe ojúsàájú, a sì máa sọ òtítọ́. 18Àwọn tí ó ń ṣiṣẹ́ àlàáfíà a sì máa gbin èso àlàáfíà ní àlàáfíà.